


Drifter

by mediocrityatbest



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Pirates, Prompt Fill, implied death but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:54:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24358396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediocrityatbest/pseuds/mediocrityatbest
Summary: Virgil has been on a lot of ships in his life; he’s more of a drifter than a pirate. But this one? It’s something different.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	Drifter

“Where is the navigator?” Captain Patton Hart demanded. His eyes roved over his own ship, the crew responsible for doing everything from steering to navigating to cleaning. Nobody wanted to admit the harsh truth: they had fucked up.

“Captain, he-he got away,” Virgil said, head bowed. “I’m sorry I messed up.” He waited for whatever punishment Captain Patton would see fit to bestow. He’d been on plenty of other ships before; he was more a drifter than a permanent crew member. He switched from ship to ship nearly as often as they docked, and he’d been a witness to and recipient of many forms of punishment for failure.

He’d never seen anyone fail Captain Patton. He had never intended to find out why they were all so afraid of doing so.

“My quarters,” Captain Patton said, “now.” Virgil cast one quick glance around the ship and found that no one was willing to meet his eyes. He swallowed hard and began to walk. “The rest of you, clean this mess up. I want everything in ship shape and to be sailing for port before the sun hits the water.” A slew of yes sir’s sounded and everyone got to work. Captain Patton fell into step right behind Virgil and together, they headed for the Captain’s Quarters.

Virgil sincerely hoped that they would also be walking  _ out _ of that room together.

He stood silently before the Captain’s desk as he shut—and locked—the door behind them. He walked around his desk, boots clicking against the floor like a woman’s heels, and sat down. Virgil kept his head down, eyes focused firmly on the floor. He stood like that for what felt like hours, until his spine was aching and his legs burned from trying to keep him steady on the waves without being able to adjust his stance. Finally, Captain Patton spoke.

“We picked you up at the last port, didn’t we?” he said.

“The one before, Captain.”

“Oh, yes, I remember,” he said. He leaned back and kicked his feet up on the desk. Virgil fought not to flinch. “You went by Anxiety on your calling card, but remind me, what was your name?”

“Virgil Eli, Captain,” he said quietly.

“Mmhmm. And,” he paused delicately, waited. “Your qualifications were being strong, unquestioning, doing whatever was asked of you without objection, and you traded in your V legs at a young age for C legs, instead. Isn’t that right?”

“I did not include a pun, Captain.” Virgil stopped, but the man said nothing so he continued, “But yes, that is accurate.”

“It would’ve been better if you  _ had _ included a pun or two,” he said. Captain Patton sighed. “Look at me, Mr. Eli.” Virgil brought his head up and did his best to hold eye contact, even though it felt like he was burning. “Do you know who my first mate is?”

“Logan Abbott, Captain,” he said.

“And do you know why he is not currently on board with us?”

“No.”

“Surely you know that it is highly unusual for a Captain to be without his first mate. You’ve been on enough ships to know the routine.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“And you’ve got keen eyes. Logan pointed it out to me, but I would have noticed either way. You’re a smart man, Mr. Eli. Logan has often told me that you know the goings-on of the ship more intimately than he does. I find it hard to believe that you kept your ears to yourself.”

“My apologies, Captain. I never meant to cause any untoward feelings.” Virgil’s hands, by his sides, clenched into fists. He didn’t know if he was apologizing for looking out for himself or for eavesdropping or the Captain noticing, but he’d say whatever he had to to get out without the man’s vicious sword through his throat.

“I’m  _ shore _ you didn’t,” he said. “However, that is exactly what you achieved. You’ve caused quite the comm _ ocean _ with my oldest crew members. None of them trust you, Mr. Eli. My first mate has recommended that I do the same. But I’ve allowed you to stay on the ship. Do you know why?”

“No, Captain.” Virgil could hear his pulse thundering in his ears, but he did his best not to let it show. He would make it out of this and trade ships the second they got to the next port. Sooner, if that’s what it took to stay alive. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d abandoned ship in the night and floated until he was almost dead and another ship picked him up.

“Your resume also included that you’ve been on more ships than we’ve sacked. You don’t stay anywhere longer than a few months. Your rather impressive list of accomplishments would suggest that you prefer it that way.” He paused again. Virgil hated the pauses. He hated waiting instead of just being tied to the mast and whipped or whatever Captain deemed appropriate for the crew’s failure. “Have you ever engaged in matelotage, Mr. Eli?”

“I-I have, Captain.” Virgil fought not to close his eyes. “May I ask why you wish to know?”

“Did your mate die?” Captain Patton waited, but Virgil didn’t answer. He didn’t know if he could talk about that, he could barely even think about it, about what he wouldn’t give to see him again, what he wouldn’t give to change what happened, what he-

It didn’t matter. There was no changing the past.

“Ah.” Captain Patton scratched at his beard, staring at Virgil curiously. Then he stood up and crossed the room, pouring two glasses of rum. He held one out to Virgil.

“I don’t drink, Captain,” he said quietly.

“Neither does Logan,” he said ruefully. Captain Patton discarded the second glass and wandered back over to his desk. “You’re a very interesting person, Mr. Eli. I enjoy interesting people and I enjoy knowing the things they’ve seen and done. I’d bet a treasure trove that you’ve got enough secrets to fill up Davy Jones’ Locker twice over.” He smiled. Virgil had a sinking feeling in his stomach. “You’ve been waiting for the punishment for letting that navigator get away. Here it is. You’re going to stay on-board with us, Mr. Eli. You are going to become a permanent member of our crew. You’ll be one of the pirates of Patton Hart, one of the most feared Pirate Captains sailing the seven seas. You will divulge your secrets and adventures to me, and my first mate. You’ll advise us where you know what we don’t. You will play nice with the rest of the crew, but you don’t have to befriend them. You’ll keep listening and doing what you already do, but now you’ll let  _ minnow _ what you hear. Do you understand, Mr. Eli?”

Virgil stared, dumbstruck. “Yes, Captain. I understand.”

“Good. You’ll be right under Logan on the food chain, but don’t think that means we won’t make you fish good. Logan’s em _ oceans _ don’t make him nearly as reluctant to throw disloyal people overboard as they do me.” Virgil nodded his acquiescence. “Don’t speak of this conversation to anyone, Mr. Eli. I trust that you will keep up your habit of keeping your lips sealed. You can tell the crew any number of horrible things I did to you as punishment, though I suspect nothing you can come up with will sting as much as having to stay here.” He smirked.” Go. I expect you back here tomorrow night with whatever news you’ve managed to gather and a story or two from your previous jobs. Make them interesting, Mr. Eli.”

“Yes, Captain.” Virgil bowed his head to his Captain.

“Dismissed.” Virgil turned on a heel and left the room. He only had one thought on his mind. If he could no longer switch ships, how was he going to stay hidden? How was he going to keep from being found?

Virgil had gotten himself in way over his head. Now what was he going to do?


End file.
